548

14.2

Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

Supermarkets

There
are
numerous
ways
in
which
supermarketsare laid out. The location of the coolers and
freezers, reach-ins, and other types of units will vary
with each installation. The layout is also dependent upon
the type of unit used. The condensing unit may be part
of the total unit. The condensing mechanism would
then be located in the base or top of the cabinet.
The blower evaporator would be installed inside the
cabinet. See Section 14.3. Larger installations are more
inclined to use multiple condensing units. These are
located either in the back, in a servicing area, or in a
separate area. They are sometimes located on top of
the supermarket roof.
Figure 14-1 shows a commercial mechanical rack of
four condensing units. This type of arrangement has a
common discharge line and liquid receiver. Each display
case would have its own evaporator and refrigerant con
trol. The unit shown uses a microprocessor control sys
tem to operate the units for maximum efficiency. The
compressors may all run at the same time for high load
conditions or be cycled to provide refrigeration during
low load conditions.
Another approach is to place the refrigeration
equipment as close as practical to the merchandisers be
ing refrigerated. The primary benefit is a 65% to 75%
reduction in refrigerant charge. Four to six scroll
compressors may be used. These compressors operate in
a multiplexed manner (common discharge and common
suction line) to refrigerate a line-up of merchandisers
containing products such as produce, dairy, or frozen
Figure 14-2.
The front panel has been removed to
reveal four multiplexed scroll compressors. They are
used to operate multiple produce, dairy, meat, or
frozen food merchandisers. (Hussmann Corporation)

food. As the temperature of one or more of the products

is satisfactory, the compressor or compressors are cycled
off to match the capacity of the refrigeration system to
the merchandisers. An example is shown in Figure 14-2.
An external view of a supermarket machine room
is shown in Figure 14-3A. The machine room may in
clude multiple condensing units prewired and piped.
The machine room is delivered to the site with ventila
tion, lighting, energy management, and electrical sys
tems in one package. Condensing unit racks for a
multiple condensing system machine room are illus
trated in Figure 14-3B. The condensing units are piped
and wired to the various food display and walk-in cool
ers located inside the supermarket.

14.3
Figure 14-1.
Commercial mechanical rack of four
compressors.Note the use of a liquid line receiver.
(Tyler Refrigeration Corporation)

Grocery Cabinet
(Reach-In Cabinet)

Grocery cabinets have been used for many years to

keep perishable products at satisfactory temperatures.